The Global Appeal 2019 Update provides information for governments, private donors, partners and other readers interested in UNHCR’s priorities and budgeted activities for 2019 to protect and improve the lives of tens of millions of people of concern: refugees, internally displaced people, returnees, stateless persons, and others of concern. It highlights the challenges faced by UNHCR and its partners in attempting to respond to multiple life-threatening crises and ever-growing humanitarian needs.

In mid December intercommunal clashes between people of Banunu and Batende ethnicities in Yumbi territory (Mai-Ndombe) left almost 900 people dead and some 465 houses and buildings destroyed. Around 24,000 people fled to neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville. The new refugee influx places additional pressure on the 10,000 members of the host community already in need of humanitarian assistance. The renewed violence is believed to be related to tensions surrounding the recent election process.

Asia-Pacific remains the world's most disaster-prone region and, in 2018, natural disasters once again affected millions of people. During the year the region experienced a number of sudden-onset disasters that prompted international responses, including Tropical Cyclone Gita in Tonga (February), a 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Papua New Guinea (February), Tropical Storm Son Tinh in Lao PDR (August), Cyclone Mangkhut in the Philippines (September) and a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province (October).

This is the first IOM Regional Data Report on Asia and the Pacific. This statistical product highlights the complex migration trends that characterize this region of the world. The report is predominantly based on IOM primary data collection activities and covers the whole 2017 and the first six months of 2018.

COPENHAGEN/NEW YORK, 11 January 2018 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Emmy-nominated actress Millie Bobby Brown helped pack supplies for some of the world’s most vulnerable children during a visit to UNICEF’s global supply headquarters in Copenhagen this week.

At the end of December 2018, 21 Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP) and the Syria Regional Response Plan (3RP) required US$24.93 billion to assist 97.9 million people in urgent need of humanitarian support. The requirements remained unchanged as of the end of November 2018. The plans are funded at $14.58 billion which amounts to 58.5 per cent of financial requirements for 2018. Notably, the percentage of total funding contributed through humanitarian response plans carried out by the UN with partners in 2018 is estimated at 62.9%.

It was announced earlier this week that new asylum accommodation contracts have been awarded to three major private sector providers, Serco, Mears and Clearsprings. A full list of all contracts awarded is below.

“Catastrophic humanitarian standards combined with snowfall and freezing temperatures are again threatening asylum seekers in several Greek refugee camps,” said Petra De Sutter (Belgium, SOC), General Rapporteur on reception conditions for refugees and migrants.

The Red Cross Red Crescent across the Asia Pacific region and in the Middle East have been helping people prepare for and cope with damaging extreme seasonal-weather – ranging from extreme cold and snow to storms and flash floods.

Most recently the ICRC in Lebanon yesterday tweeted that Storm Norma had left almost 600 Syrian refugee families in Aarsal, in the north-east of the country, one of the worst affected areas, without bread or fuel for heating.

Diverse churches are working together in Lille, France, to help minors in the asylum seeker population by providing them with shelter and education. The work began in 2013 when churches began hosting up to 50 minors between 15‐17 years old who had no shelter.

Background:

There are about 200 asylum seeker minors on the streets of Lille, of which about 10% are girls. The minors are unassisted for 6 months or more as they wait on the government’s decision to be declared/accepted as minors. They are not given access to basic social services during this waiting period.